Multi-zone integral face bypass coil system

ABSTRACT

An air handling system for selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering the air handling system through an inlet opening includes a first heating coil assembly in fluid communication with a first inlet manifold header and a first outlet manifold header, and a second heating coil assembly in fluid communication with a second inlet manifold header and a second outlet manifold header. The first heating coil assembly is oriented forward of the second heating coil assembly such that the first heating coil assembly is disposed closer to the inlet opening than the second heating coil assembly.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/548,120, filed on Feb. 26, 2004, and herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to a multi-zone integral face bypass coil system, and deals more particularly with a multi-zone integral face bypass coil system that provides greater flexibility with two or more heating zones, and greater protection against damaging environmental condition, than known systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Integral face bypass (IFB) coil systems are known in the art and typically employ a single input and output header for feeding a predetermined amount of hot water or steam through a series of heating coils. The coils are themselves disposed within selectively actuating damper devices, which open and close by a given degree in order to permit a varying amount of inlet air to pass directly over the coils.

While these known integral face bypass coil systems are successful to a degree, it is desirable to increase the efficiency of such systems. That is, known integral face bypass coil systems, commonly referred to as VAV (Variable Air Volume) systems, are increasingly being asked to provide for heating requirements over a wide span of temperature ranges and circulation volumes. If the swing in the desired volume of air being processed by known integral face bypass coil systems is too great, it is possible that the pressure within the coils can drop to levels that may lead to the freezing of condensate in the coils, and thus related structural damage or failure.

Similarly, known integral face bypass coil systems must be manufactured to handle wide swings in the volume of treated air, therefore the components in these systems are large in size, and may in fact be ‘over-built’ when the systems are utilized in small-volume applications. Moreover, the damper-drive assemblies of known integral face bypass coil systems are complex and that take up a fair amount of room, as well as being less precise than possible due to the large number of linkages utilized in such assemblies.

Still yet another aspect of known integral face bypass coil systems that may be improved lies in the nature, complexity and expense of the valves utilized therein. That is, owing to the use of variable speed blowers and variable air volume control systems, many known integral face bypass coil systems utilize modulating valves that maintain desired pressure, but often fall short of desired steam volume.

With the forgoing problems and concerns in mind, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone integral face bypass coil systems which overcomes the above-described drawbacks while maximizing effectiveness, flexibility and environmental hardiness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, vertical integral face bypass (VIFB) apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, VIFB apparatus having two or more heating manifolds.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, VIFB apparatus that provides protection against damaging environmental conditions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, VIFB apparatus that may be fashioned from smaller gauge materials, and smaller diameter piping.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, VIFB apparatus that is more energy efficient.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, VIFB apparatus that provides more precise temperature conditioning than known single-manifold systems.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-zone, VIFB apparatus that utilizes direct-driven dampers.

In accordance, therefore, with one embodiment of the present invention, an air handling system for selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering the air handling system through an inlet opening includes a first heating coil assembly in fluid communication with a first inlet manifold header and a first outlet manifold header, and a second heating coil assembly in fluid communication with a second inlet manifold header and a second outlet manifold header. The first heating coil assembly is oriented forward of the second heating coil assembly such that the first heating coil assembly is disposed closer to the inlet opening than the second heating coil assembly.

These and other objectives of the present invention, and their preferred embodiments, shall become clear by consideration of the specification, claims and drawings taken as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a known vertical integral face bypass (VIFB) apparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified, schematic plan-view representation of the heating coils and clam-shell dampers arranged in the VIFB apparatus of FIG. 1, when the clam-shell dampers are in their fully open position.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified, schematic plan-view representation of the heating coils and clam-shell dampers arranged in the VIFB apparatus of FIG. 1, when the clam-shell dampers are in their partially closed position.

FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified, schematic plan-view representation of the heating coils and clam-shell dampers arranged in the VIFB apparatus of FIG. 1, when the clam-shell dampers are in their fully closed position.

FIG. 5 illustrates a VIFB apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view A-A of the VIFB apparatus shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6A illustrates a partial cross-sectional view a VIFB apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a simplified, schematic plan-view representation of the heating coils and clam-shell dampers arranged in the VIFB apparatus of Figure 5.

FIG. 8 illustrates a direct-drive damper system utilized with the VIFB apparatus of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a magnified view of the direct-drive damper system shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art IFB apparatus 100. In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates a known vertical integral face bypass (VIFB) apparatus 100 having a single inlet manifold header 102 and a single outlet manifold header 104 for supplying heated water, steam or the like to a series of interconnected, vertically oriented heating coils 106. A series of clam-shell dampers 108 are utilized to selectively isolate the heating coils 106, to a greater or lesser extent, from the flow of outside, or inlet, air. A complex set of interconnected linkages 110 are mounted to the VIFB apparatus 100 to control the selective positioning of the clam-shell dampers 108.

FIGS. 2-4 show a simplified, schematic plan-view representation of the heating coils 106 as arranged in the VIFB apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the clam-shell dampers 108 are fully opened, thus causing a maximum of inlet air flow over and about the heating coils 106. When oriented in the manner shown in FIG. 2, the clam-shell dampers 108 enable the greatest possible heat transfer between the inlet air and the heating coils, and thus provide the greatest temperature increase to the inlet air.

In those circumstances where the inlet air need not be warmed to the extent necessary as in FIG. 2, the clam-shell dampers 108 may be selectively controlled so as to close part-way, as shown in FIG. 3, thus restricting to a certain degree the amount of inlet air flow over and about the heating coils 106. When oriented in the manner shown in FIG. 3, the clam-shell dampers 108 enable a graduated heat transfer characteristic between the inlet air and the heating coils, thus providing a variable temperature increase to the inlet air.

FIG. 4 now illustrates that condition of the VIFB 100 in which it is desirable to isolate the inlet air from the heating coils 106 to the greatest extent possible, thus minimizing the heat transfer between the heating coils 106 and the inlet air flow. As depicted in FIG. 4, the clam-shell dampers 108 are in their fully closed position, thus permitting the inlet air to bypass direct contact with the heating coils 106 during those times when it is determined that the inlet temperature does not need to be significantly raised.

While the known VIFB apparatus 100 has been shown and described in connection with FIGS. 1-4, the efficiency and reliability of these known systems suffer somewhat when asked to deliver temperature conditioning to an inlet air flow over a wide temperature and/or volumetric range.

That is, as discussed previously, known VIFB apparatuses are typically fashioned to have relatively large inlet and outlet manifold headers, 102 and 104 respectively, and heating coils 106, so as to accommodate large temperature rises in the inlet air, or large increases in the volume of inlet air to be conditioned. Such systems, however, typically suffer when the increase in air flow temperature is desired to be much smaller; that is, when the ΔT (the instructed rise in the temperature of the outside inlet air) is small, or when the volume or air to be conditioned is small.

For example, in those cases where the ΔT is small, it may not be sufficient for the clam-shell dampers 108 to close fully, as shown in FIG. 4. That is, even with the clam-shell dampers 108 fully closed, the temperature rise of the inlet air may still exceed the desired temperature rise. Thus, in prior art VIFB apparatuses, it is known to reduce the flow of hot water or steam being directed through the heating coils 106, to thereby further reduce the rise in temperature of the inlet air.

As will be appreciated, when the flow rate within the heating coils 106 is reduced, the pressure within the heating coils 106 is correspondingly reduced and the VIFB apparatus 100 therefore becomes susceptible to environmentally-induced damage, such as freezing. Moreover, it is also practically difficult to precisely regulate the incremental reduction of flow-rate and pressure within the heating coils 106 so as to provide the type of fine temperature control oftentimes needed in modern day buildings.

Complicating the fine control of known VIFB apparatuses even further is the complex set of linkages 110 that control the selective positioning of the clam-shell dampers 108. Not only are known damper linkages 110 relatively cumbersome and space-consuming, their numerous integral components each contribute a measured amount of mechanical tolerances, or ‘play’, thus making the overall control of the clam-shell dampers 108 less definable and accurate.

Thus, known VIFB apparatuses as shown in FIGS. 1-4 are vulnerable in those applications where large temperature and/or volumetric swings may be experienced, and where the fine and incremental control of temperature rise is desired.

The present invention addresses the problems of known VIFB apparatuses, and provides an architecture that not only accommodates the conditioning of inlet air flow over wide temperature and volumetric ranges, but does so without endangering the integral heating coils, via freezing or the like. Moreover, the present invention removes the complex linkages of known VIFB apparatuses with a direct-connection control for the clam-shell dampers, as discussed hereinafter.

FIG. 5 illustrates a VIFB apparatus 200, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the VIFB apparatus 200 includes a first inlet manifold header 202 which communicates with a first outlet manifold header 210. Together with an integral first set of heating coils 206, the first inlet and outlet manifold headers, 202 and 210 respectively, act as a first, stand-alone heating/conditioning assembly 209.

As is also shown in FIG. 5, and in stark contrast to known VIFB devices, the VIFB apparatus 200 further includes a second inlet manifold header 208 which communicates with a second outlet manifold header 204. Together with an integral second set of heating coils 212, the second inlet and outlet manifold headers, 208 and 204 respectively, act as a second, stand-alone heating/conditioning assembly 213. Both the first set of heating coils 206 and the second set of heating coils 212 are disposed within a common clam-shell damper 214. As will be appreciated, and similar to known devices, the VIFB apparatus 200 includes a plurality of selectively actuating clam-shell dampers 214 to control the amount of inlet air incident upon the first and second sets of heating coils, 206 and 212, although only one such damper assembly is shown in FIG. 5 for clarity's sake.

FIG. 6 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view A-A of the VIFB apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 is disposed in a sheltered relationship behind the first heating/conditioning assembly 209. Therefore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 is oriented forward of the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 within each of the clam-shell dampers 214, as shown in FIG. 7. That is, the present invention locates the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 in front of the second heating/ conditioning assembly 213 and closer to the air inlet side of the VIFB apparatus 200. Thus, during those times when the clam-shell dampers 214 are in their at least partially-opened position, the inlet air flow {overscore (F)} is firstly and primarily incident upon the first heating/conditioning assembly 209.

It is therefore an important aspect of the present invention that the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 not only accomplishes the conditioning of inlet air, but also acts as an environmental barrier to the second heating/conditioning assembly 213. Thus, as will be described in more detail below, the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 acts to prevent freezing of the second heating/conditioning assembly 213.

In a preferred method of operation, and specifically in those applications where the VIFB apparatus 200 must operate over a wide temperature and/or volumetric range, the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 is operated at a substantial, to substantially maximum, capacity, thus insuring that the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 enjoys a high pressure, high flow-rate environment of heated water, steam or the like at all times. The selective operation of the clam-shell dampers 214 will thereby permit the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 to effectuate accurate, precise and efficient control over, approximately and at least, the first half of the total temperature range of the VIFB apparatus 200.

The second heating/conditioning assembly 213 need only then be operated in those high ΔT conditions when the temperature differential between the inlet air and the instructed air flow temperature is approximately outside of the first half of the total temperature range of the VIFB apparatus 200, and therefore outside of the ability of the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 to adequately address.

In such high ΔT situations, the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 can be selectively actuated by the operation of valves and the like, the workings of which are commonly known to those in the art. When so actuated, the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 supplements the ability of the clam-shell dampers 214 and the first heating/conditioning assembly 209, to accomplish a system-instructed rise in the temperature of the inlet air anywhere within the total temperature range of the VIFB apparatus 200.

The present invention thus provides a multi-zone approach to the conditioning of inlet air, in which two separate heating/conditioning systems are selectively utilized to accomplish system-instructed temperatures rises in inlet air over a wider range of temperatures, and with a level of precision and efficiency not heretofore known in the art.

In contrast to known systems, the multi-zone VIFB apparatus 200 of the present invention provides a second, and separate, manifold header assembly 208/204 that feeds a separate, matching second set of heating coils 212. By providing the second set of heating coils 212, and by selectively activating them on a case by case basis in dependence upon the volume of conditioned air required by the control system, or in times of high ΔT requirements, the present invention can ease the burden currently placed upon the single header/heating coil arrangement of known systems.

In low ΔT conditions when the temperature differential between the inlet air and the instructed air flow temperature is approximately within the first half of the total desired temperature range of the VIFB apparatus 200, the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 is operated at a minimum, to substantially negligible, capacity. That is, the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 can be largely inactive in those situations where the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 (by acting in combination with the clam-shell dampers 214) is capable of fully accomplishing a system-instructed rise in the temperature of the inlet air.

It should of course be understood that although operation of the VIFB apparatus 200 has been chiefly discussed in connection with accomplishing the instructed rise in the temperature of the inlet air stream, the applicability of the present invention is not so limited. Indeed, the selective actuation of the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 may be alternatively controlled by the volumetric demands placed upon the VIFB apparatus 200. In this regard, when the volume of inlet air to be conditioned is within the capacity of the first heating/conditioning assembly 209, taking into account the instructed temperature rise in that volume of inlet air, the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 remains inactive. However, should the volume, or combination of volume and instructed temperature rise, in the inlet air stream be beyond the design specifications of the first heating/ conditioning assembly 209, the control system of the VIFB apparatus 200 may selectively actuate the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 to compensate for the same.

It is therefore yet another important aspect of the present invention that the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 may be only selectively utilized, thus making the overall VIFB apparatus 200 more efficient over its entire temperature and volumetric range by only coming ‘on-line’ when needed.

Another important aspect of the present invention lies in the increased efficiency in the VIFB apparatus 200, as compared to known single-manifold header systems. By utilizing two separate, yet complimentary, stand-alone heating/conditioning assemblies, the present invention is capable of finer and more precise control over the entire temperature and volumetric range of the VIFB apparatus 200.

The present invention also envisions disposing the second set of heating coils 212 behind the first set, thereby insulating the second set from environmental damage. That is, by orienting the second set of heating coils 212 in a sheltered position behind the first set of heating coils 206, and by continually pressurizing the first set of coils at or near their maximum, the heated water or steam coursing through the first set of heating coils 206 provides a friendly environmental zone within which the second set of heating coils 212 are enveloped and therefore protected from freezing temperatures, even when the second set of heating coils 212 is run at low pressures, or completely shut off.

Indeed, a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be seen in FIG. 6A in which the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 is completely sheltered behind the first heating/conditioning assembly 209, including the second outlet manifold header 204. It will be readily appreciated that the second outlet manifold header 204 may be oriented completely behind the first heating/conditioning assembly 213, as shown in FIG. 6A, or in the alternative position shown in FIG. 5, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention.

It is another important aspect of the present invention that as the first set of heating coils 206 are continually operated at a high, if not maximum, capacity, the first set of heating coils 206 are themselves protected against freezing.

Still yet another important aspect of the present invention is that the proposed multi-zone integral face bypass coil system is capable of utilizing simple slow-acting steam valves, instead of the complex seat valves typically utilized with known single-coil designs.

Moreover, by providing two separate manifold headers/heating coil assemblies, the size and gauge of the constituent components of the headers and the coils may be correspondingly reduced for each assembly. That is, smaller diameter coils and smaller manifold header boxes may be employed, thus reducing material cost, labor and assembly time. Another advantageous effect of reducing the size of the components is that the overall weight and dimensions of the system as a whole can be substantially reduced.

The present invention also replaces the complex linkages utilized in known systems to drive the clam-shell dampers, with a direct-drive damper system 300. As shown in FIG. 8, the controlling arms 302 of the direct-drive damper system 300 are directly coupled to the control rods 304 attached to all of the clam-shell dampers 214. Thus, the direct-drive damper system avoids the tolerances and calibration ‘play’ inherent in those systems, which utilize complex linkages.

In contrast to the known complex and indirect damper linkage 110 shown in FIG. 1, the direct-drive damper system 300 of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, is face mounted to the VIFB apparatus 200.

It is therefore another important aspect of the present invention that the proposed direct-drive damper system is considerably smaller and may be arranged within the outer dimensions of the VIFB apparatus 200 (instead of being mounted so as to extend outwards from the VIFB apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1), thus reducing the size requirements of the overall system.

Moreover, as the controlling arms 302 of the direct-drive damper system 300 are rigidly fixed to both a drive hub 306 and to the control rods 304, precise movement of the control rods 204 may be effectively accomplished without any of the mechanical ‘play’ inherent in the known, in-directly driven damper drives.

Although the present invention has been described such that the first heating/conditioning assembly 209 is designed to address approximately half of the total temperature or volumetric range of the VIFB device, with the second heating/conditioning assembly 213 being selectively called upon to address the remaining approximate half of the total temperature or volumetric range, the present invention is not limited in this regard. Indeed, the VIFB apparatus 200 of the present invention may be selectively designed so that the first and second stand-alone heating/conditioning assemblies address a greater or lesser portion of the total system range in temperature or volume, in dependence upon the specific design characteristics needed for a given application.

While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various obvious changes may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the essential scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention includes all equivalent embodiments. 

1. An air handling system for conditioning inlet air, comprising: a first heating coil assembly being in fluid communication with a first inlet manifold header and a first outlet manifold header; a second heating coil assembly being in fluid communication with a second inlet manifold header and a second outlet manifold header; and a damper assembly for selectively regulating the exposure of said first heating coil assembly and said second heating coil assembly with said inlet air.
 2. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein: said first heating coil assembly and said second heating coil assembly are arranged within said damper assembly.
 3. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein: said first heating coil assembly is oriented forward of said second heating coil assembly.
 4. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein: said second heating coil assembly is active only when a volume of said inlet air exceeds a predetermined amount.
 5. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein: said first heating coil assembly is active over an entire operational range of said air handling system.
 6. The air handling system according to claim 5, wherein: said second heating coil assembly is utilized only over a portion of said operational range of said air handling system.
 7. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein: said second heating coil assembly is active only when a temperature difference between said inlet air and an instructed conditioned air temperature exceeds a predetermined amount.
 8. The air handling system according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive system directly coupled to said damper assembly.
 9. An air handling system for selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering said air handling system through an inlet opening, comprising: a first heating coil assembly being in fluid communication with a first inlet manifold header and a first outlet manifold header; a second heating coil assembly being in fluid communication with a second inlet manifold header and a second outlet manifold header; and wherein said first heating coil assembly is oriented forward of said second heating coil assembly such that said first heating coil assembly is disposed closer to said inlet opening than said second heating coil assembly.
 10. The air handling system according to claim 9, further comprising: a damper assembly for selectively regulating the exposure of said first heating coil assembly and said second heating coil assembly with said flow of inlet air.
 11. The air handling system according to claim 10, wherein: said first heating coil assembly and said second heating coil assembly are arranged within said damper assembly.
 12. The air handling system according to claim 9, wherein: said second heating coil assembly is active only when a volume of said inlet air exceeds a predetermined amount.
 13. The air handling system according to claim 9, wherein: said first heating coil assembly is active over an entire operational range of said air handling system.
 14. The air handling system according to claim 13, wherein: said second heating coil assembly is utilized only over a portion of said operational range of said air handling system.
 15. The air handling system according to claim 9, wherein: said second heating coil assembly is active only when a temperature difference between said inlet air and an instructed conditioned air temperature exceeds a predetermined amount.
 16. The air handling system according to claim 9, further comprising: a drive system directly coupled to said damper assembly.
 17. A method of selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering an air handling system through an inlet opening, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a first heating coil assembly to be in fluid communication with a first inlet manifold header and a first outlet manifold header; arranging a second heating coil assembly to be in fluid communication with a second inlet manifold header and a second outlet manifold header; and orienting said first heating coil assembly forward of said second heating coil assembly such that said first heating coil assembly is arranged closer to said inlet opening than said second heating coil assembly.
 18. The method of selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering an air handling system according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of: providing a damper assembly for selectively regulating the exposure of said first heating coil assembly and said second heating coil assembly with said flow of inlet air.
 19. The method of selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering an air handling system according to claim 18, wherein: arranging said first heating coil assembly and said second heating coil assembly within said damper assembly.
 20. The method of selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering an air handling system according to claim 17, wherein: utilizing said first heating coil assembly over an entire operational range of said air handling system; and engaging said second heating coil assembly only over a portion of said operational range of said air handling system.
 21. The method of selectively and incrementally heating a flow of inlet air entering an air handling system according to claim 17, wherein: activating said second heating coil assembly only when one of a temperature difference between said flow of inlet air and an instructed conditioned air temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature rise, and when a volume of said inlet air exceeds a design parameter. 